


Cold Embrace

by TheCastleDarker



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Horror, Manga & Anime, Mystery, Novel, Psychological Horror, Romance, Thriller
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:54:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22785988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCastleDarker/pseuds/TheCastleDarker
Summary: It is getting colder at the city no one knows what would happen if the cold will remain. Humanity is never prepared for this since the beginning. No one can stop the inclement weather. No one wants to lose someone. If everything is lost, they will be back. The old ones, the one who knows how to play the game. Humans cannot see them but they are everywhere whispering their liberty for a long time.
Relationships: Ana Booker/Coilean Finne





	1. They Live Together

It is dark in the room. A classical album playing on the turntable Coilean thinks to himself how dusty the turntable is but has no plans of cleaning it. He sits on a comfy chair near the turntable with a cigar poised on his right hand. 

Not bothered with the cars passing by outside, He slowly opens his eyes; only to see darkness but not for long. Behind him with all the curtains closed, there are bright lights that twinkle for a few seconds before they disappear, and reappear again shortly after. 

The cycle goes on every night. 

Then the turntable suddenly lags, making scratching noises which irritate him. So he lifts the tonearm softly and removes the Vinyl so carefully.

  
With gloved in his hands, he wipes the Vinyl twice, twice its normal cleaning session. The table in front of him contains the case. He pulls the drawer, suddenly the air smells of charcoal. Inside are many cases that hardly look the same but upon closer inspection have some slight difference.

He suspects there could be damage in the Vinyl.

It surprises him when someone opens the yellow dim-light. The light above revealing a circular space around him, overflowing with dust, as it exits the scope becoming invisible again. 

It is silent for few-minutes. He brushes his lap, bursting more dirt to the air before he wears his fedora hat. Lifting his feet on the table before puffing his cigar. There are unexpected footsteps. 

He smells the basil leaves boiling together with the oil, he also assumes there are fried potatoes. This was his favorite steak. In the dark, a figure appeared given the limited light. 

The figure slowly walks until it reaches the edge still mildly visible.

She is carrying a tray, her hands covered with gloves. She has a long black hair, and wears a black dress.

There are several stares before Coilean can respond. 

“It’s already late why have you not gone to bed?” Coilean asks, looking at the tray and back to her.

She did not say anything but she steps closer to the light. Now it became clear to him. He forgot to eat dinner with her again. Her face was emotionless, she puts down the tray on the table.

“I’m... hungry... yes,” Coilean says, he flinches his fingers, watching the potatoes draped with juice.

He leans forward, drowning his cigar on a glass pot, then he puts down his feet, the girl still stares at him while removing her gloves. 

There are passing cars that shine their light in the front door where panels are transparent. 

She coughs hugging herself, it is cold outside the particle of snow plundering the scenery. Coilean grabs her hand to give her warmth, but he did not realize that he has his gloves still intact.

“Will be opening tomorrow, for now I want you to rest. Their would be a guest that will arrive here sooner or later. I’m glad you cooked for me Ana.” Coilean says, squeezing her hands then looking back at the perfectly poached eggs scattered circularly in the smoking soup, while she can only nod. 

She looks down on the floor, trying to hold her tears, Coilean pats her on the head but she evades him with a push, she rushes back upstairs to finish her studies.

He remains to stand, as he turns his head through the glass panels, the grounds are pack with snow, and it continues to merge layer after layer after it settles, another family will.

Coilean fears that Ana will attempt to elope later at night, but Ana reminds him all the time that she was old enough.

A sign darted in-front of the cafe it was labeled, “Pinched Cafe.” 

  
Its overall background is light-blue but the printed text has an orange tinged. Casting a shadow from the side to make it look 3D from the patrons.

  
Ana sulks on her bed. wrapped in her blanket like a cocoon. She looks at the paintings on the wall. But her attention is focused on one particular painting: two girls dressed in their school uniform one was standing and playing the violin while the other girl sits watching her play.

  
Her room was small, but she did the setup by herself everything placed in order, others labeled scrumptiously. 

  
She does not have to look twice to find something she needs, though she has a hard time sleeping every night. She turns off the light, and up the ceiling, there is a star that glows only once the light is off. 

  
This gives the atmosphere the calming effect. Ana grabs the tea on the floor she takes two sips before dropping it again, she rarely dropped liquid on the floor because of her habit.

  
The howling wind outside shuttering the light on the window beside her. 

  
She grabs the telephone to call her friend but no one answers Ana rolls back on the bed. She decided to stay there, besides there is nothing to do.

  
Down the stairs with the crackling fire Coilean prepares the meal that he will serve for the visitors. 

Because earlier he had been thinking what will he cook. And it took him hours to decide. 

Ana gave the idea. Now he needs her help for the preparations but inviting her will play a crucial role in the dish and how will their relationship develop. 

The electricity had shut down, and there is no flow of water.  
  
Coilean wears the apron that was hanging on the doorknob, he is about to head to Ana’s room and convince her to help him prepare the dish, when he hears a loud noise that came from outside. 

He turns around to door but the panels are blurry, Coilean was curious if those are the visitors so he walks closer while he removes his apron and when he was five steps away from the door. 

He noticed that there are black inks that are slowly flowing to the mushy ice forming a pattern. 

  



	2. The Rats

The heavy door would not open it was stuck, the ice settles within the door. Coilean can not explain what he saw. It was disconcerting for him, all the black patterns that had been there are now gone. 

He wipes the window circularly using his right hand, the window remains opaque as he tries to uncover the other side. There is nothing important to be seen but that left him curious with the possibility that someone out there might need his help. He is not entirely sure anymore if he heard a voice or an object that had fallen from the sky.

The tables and chairs are aligned properly casting a shadows from every surface. Teapots, and teacups are place inside the cabinets, balancing its surface through mountains of identical dishes. It was cleaned with various help from their friends. The wheels that hang on the walls was one of its greatest design and had been complimented many times by random patrons. 

Everything is set, ready to be use once the cafe opens later at dawn.

There is a back door out of the cafe. It is also used as a storage room which none of them had ever visited since they started to unpacked their things. Coilean himself forgot about it. 

Though when Ana asks him one night about the strange smell. Coilean responded immediately to the matter, he tried to pinpoint the location. Which lead him to the storage room only to find rats that are stuck in those iron bars. The old owner had set some traps that are now filled with skeletons.

Hordes of them are scattered in the room. Others are lively crawling out of the pipes then back inside once they retrieve the other dead rats. When they are alerted by the light that Coilean carries, the rats retreated back, but the brave ones defy this instinct.

When they should be retreating they are coming for him. Several rats collided with his boots, one of the rat tries to bite him on his boots, the rat rips a piece of leather, but he kicks it far, far enough that it reaches the other side of the gate. He looks outside the road that has a shallow light.

The rat palpitated back up but it was splattered by a truck that rapidly passes by, it pops as he can remembered flesh are everywhere, and not long until it attracted the other rats attention. He immediately close the door and sighed. 

The awful smell was still present inside, Coilean regretted that he had invited a few rats home. All he can think of is assistance from someone who can handle the job, and the next day Ana and Coilean did their best to locate the rats.

For months it had been cold here in Munich ranging from negative five and seven. Ana feels sick from the growing cold.

Audible ticks on the clock blend surprisingly well with the darkness, a teapot sits on the stove while Ana waits for it to boil, standing at the corner she wears her white jacket. It was bulky than a normal one, covered with layers of soft material. Arms-crossed her head is mildly tilted on the wall beside her.

In-front of her, she notices the panels that are iridescently frozen, it still brings a medium light across the dark room, that helps her navigate. She sighed and closed her eyes. Then she looks again to the panels this time, she becomes oblivious, her eyes does not blink but remains open for a few minutes, staring at it as if she was being consume.

Suddenly the teapot whistles and the lid of the teapot wiggles a little. The smoke rises up, bumping oh her cheeks as she faces on the stove. Inside her cup there is a teabag already in place hagging its string out of the surface. She carefully lifts the teapot, and gently fills her cup with warm water.

The particles disintegrate turning the color of water to amber, and it continues to change as more movement happen. She sips the tea once and adds a spoon of honey after realizing that it is better to put a little sweet.

After she returns the teapot back to the stove, Ana did not pay attention on what she was doing. The fire in the stove is still working. When she is about to return to her room a howling wind startles her way to mid stairs. Half of the tea pours down around her arms cascading on different pathways. 

She resisted the pain that came after. It’s been a while since she has experienced this clumsiness. Behind her two sofas are slightly separated covered with rough linen. Ana hears a soft voice, the warm breath is leeching on her neck. 

“Are you alright Ana?” Coilean asks softly, he holds both her shoulders as he slowly rotates her toward his direction.

Ana does not respond, her cheeks is warmer than the tea and now red. Coilean grabs her hands, and wipes it with his handkerchief. Her arms stings awhile ago but becomes numb after scrutinizing Coilean face which is close to hers. 

They’ve never been this close, Ana thought that it’s a dream. She did not flinch for a second, and when she has the courage to speak, Ana pulls her hands out of his. Coilean remains to stare at her standing still like a statue. The wind outside halted it is now silent.

“I thought you’re asleep, what are you doing down here?” Ana asks quietly, brushing her hair down.

“Well… I can’t sleep,” Coilean says looking across the room then back to her. 

“I suppose you cant sleep as well, I was actually going to ask you a favor if you don’t mind.”

“Yes?”

“Earlier I’m having a hard time dealing with some of the dish, I might need some assistance.” Coilean says, scratching his head, and then he clears his voice.

“Very well, wait for me down here I will get my knife.” Ana says timidly, she continues her way up back to her room.


	3. Bad News From The Spy

Coilean stands at the counter, and wears his dark-blue apron, he looks frequently to the stairs and back to the faucet. Where the grapes had been filtered. He waits Ana with extreme patient no matter how long it would take her to get ready, he needs her help from every aspect of the dish. Ana had taken several courses about cooking. From sculpting cake designs, and Japanese style cuisines. 

The room is lighter than before there are candles everywhere. It adds calm to ambiance. the plants are spacious and have that persistent smell that revolves in this particular room. There are ropes of mini-lights that is entwined in corners of the ceiling but does not work, and so appears to be a vine.

Coilean had set everything including the equipments that they are gonna use. Plates are placed at the table evenly spaced, cutleries are aliened at the side of each plate. At the center there is a candelabra, beside it, is pile of different fruits inside a basket.

Coilean puts the grapes on the table with its separated plate. And then he looks up at the stairs again, but nothing is there only candles that are now short in size, wax spreads from its holder. And the wind outside howls like an owl, the chandelier from the ceiling turns but not noticeable. Coilean sighs and returns to the counter where an old book is place down opened in a certain page. 

He grabs the book and turns it upfront, the page from the right is filled with pictures of dumpling and hotpot soups with added spice flakes, mushroom, and other vegetable additives. On its adjoining side another soup is concocted it looks like a milk but more concentrated. 

They might need a larger bowl he assumes, but he did not see one as he glances from the cabinet.

On the left side there are columns of listed text; this are procedures and ingredients that even how hard he tried last summer he was not able to perfect. He imagines himself doing the cooking and it is going precisely well, but the scene from his imagination is brighter. 

There are pieces of scenery in his imagination that he has no clue about if it is a prediction or he was over thinking the situation. He frowns when he hears something from the dark corner, but was relief when the rat dive out of the dark, and it disappears back to the dark carrying a piece of bread. His attention back at the book, turning the pages as it echoes the empty room. His assumption of someone had entered still does not fade.

The smell of old pulp stables his eyes on a particular word, (Throne.) He taps this word twice, then he lowers the book down on his waist. He sees a man standing steadily at the side of the table, he wears a fedora hat and a black trench coat, half of his face is shadowed.

The man puts his hands on separated top rail of chairs. Coilean was not surprised. He has a subtle feeling earlier that someone had entered.

It has something to do more than cleaning the mess. Not the rats, and nothing to do with the cafe either. Coilean puts the book down and moves to the table. The man smiles and pulls one of the chairs away from the table then he sits.

“Good day.” The man says.

“You are?” the man removes his hat and places it down the table.

“What brought you here? You could have message me first.” Coilean says, he sits down at the chair facing him.

“Well I was hoping for you to be more calmer than this. Maybe this is not the time.” The man says gently, the smile from his face now wavers.

“I guess you are right.”Coilean responds, his lip smogs.

The entrance door is blown by a strong wind. The door swings open with a crinkling sound, pieces of ice shatters. Killing the light as air dances around the room. It is dark again, no responses from both sides. Coilean remains to sit his black hair floats up. 

As he waits for the wind to quite worrying about not the person sited in front of him but what message did that that person bring and who orders it.

He pulls a lighter from his pocket and lits the candelabra; all of its three wicks in a slow motion. The light gives an applicable radius that shows a hat on the table. Coilean looks at it without giving much thought, he has an idea what could it be. He raises the hat weightlessly and a small envelop is reveal. 

The man is no where to be found, the chair that he pulled from the table is back to its position, only the cheap hat remains. He went to this man flat before and realized that the man is a tailor. 

The shop was located near a river where few people may know about and do not attract the crowd too often.

He was trained to be nothingness or to be a pawn from someone if necessary. He hides at daylight and meet his superiors by midnight. he is a patriot and wants to help from every situation. The man who visited him is a spy. He comes here every morning with his original self and does not know Coilean only in daylight. 

They had a few clandestine missions together but they do not talk as much with other agents. Coilean hears what his superiors call him. He would love to call him by that name but the spy told him not to without permission or trivial events. The spy never shows his emotion to anyone only to Coilean. 

When the spy went in the cafe Coilean would treat him like any other customers. He respects the spy for many reason. Sometimes he would treat him a free drink but the spy does not accept free things he would rather pay. Coilean stands and grabs the hat and the envelop together, his hand are shaking, the cold makes it even worse. He stands on the entrance door the cold wind passes through him when someone pulls his shirt from the back.


	4. So What is Reality Then?

Coilean turns around to find Ana pulling his shirt several times before she stops. She is pale, her purple eye looks like a moon. Her cheeks is warm even with the entering cold and she does not smile when she looks at him. 

Ana is curious but she did not pry anymore. Knowing that she could have returned earlier to help him. If she did not put too much effort on choosing her clothes and wearing them one by one. Her hand clasped at her back as she leans forward to look in his eyes. 

Coilean cheeks blushes. As she is leaning close to his face close enough to be a kiss. He trudges a few steps back, not a single word could come to his mind. The cold wind rushes to the open door, this time he hears an instrument playing. But who would be playing at this hour? He asks himself, mindlessly, he forgets that Ana is in front of him taken out of the blue. 

It is very close he assumes, but it did not last that long when another round of wind passes by. Oscillating Ana’s hair from every side. Realizing that she has wasted hours scrubbing her hair and completing a full routine of choosing the best clothes. She did not think that it would end this way, trying to control her emotion and observing Coilean who is still paralyzed at the window.

Coilean does not notice what she is wearing, and Ana frowns when he cannot even see the outfit that she had composed for hours and if possible commend it personally without any indirect persuasion.

Coilean steps back to the door. Without expecting to see the spy to be standing at the gate hidden in the tall cement, covered with green leaves, and one reliable lamp post at the side which is still active despite the shuttering blackout everywhere.

The spy looks at him before turning away, his scarf waves at the side and the smog covers his entire figure. Until Coilean cannot see him anymore. He forgets the message entirely for a moment then he closes the door. He has a bad feeling but he cannot pinpoint what exactly is troubling him. No body leave their houses at dawn. The city feels more isolated than it had ever been.

While Ana passes her attention to the door. Her sight reaches the forest, which feels like eternity.

Both of them starts to imagine a huge universe. Nothing from this mundane world. Coilean can only see brightness, while Ana stands at darkness but then a circular orange pathway appears down at her feet, now she can move along, now she knows how small the reality the world has to offer. They both realized that they stepped into the void. 

On Coilean perspective the brightness slowly dissipates, it is replace by a humming sound which he couldn't describe. It hums till the brightness is gone. Feeling of emptiness feels their mind. Warmth coming from Coilean chest cause him to open his eyes blinking twice, he isn’t aware of what had happened to him or to Ana.

Both of them remained silent. Ana’s eyes are opened, she faces Coilean but not giving him the proper reaction so they can move on instead, Coilean waves his right hand near her eyes. Still not blinking, he blows softly to her face but he still does not received any reaction.

Small particles of snow enters the pavement. The air is crisped, with the darkened walls surrounding them. The fire from hearth almost extinguished, breathing its last crackle, until there is no light, 

Coilean is the first to retrieve his consciousness. He stares at Ana who is standing with him. Interminable feelings out of his control. Ana’s hair tousled upward. 

He grimaces when the color of her hair turned to white, from minutes ago it is dark. From what he could remembered she does not want bright colors but here in this moment it lightens the whole surface. 

Ana is scared from the heat and when it is hot her skin will burn easily. Chilling, he closes the door the spy is nowhere to be found. Only the the pile of snow that is building hills from every pavement.

How long will the cold last? he asks himself, but Ana murmurs behind me.

“Hello there, what took you so long Ana we could have started earlier than this eating hours.” Coilean says, looking at her hair that is drenched with pure white.

“Well… anyway we should start. I will light the candles. I had already set the things that you'll be using.” Pursing his lips carefully not to tell what happened in her hair.

“Very well…” Ana says, she likes to tell him more about the dish but he was gone before she can manage to pull out another word.

Ana gazes at him while he retreats back to his room. Wondering if she upsets him for taking too long or their friendship had turned to rivals. Is it because of that person who entered the cafe? She asks herself.

Coilean understands that if things could go the way he thinks they might be separated again for a long time like how every fairy tales start and how it ends. Ana feels that Coilean is hiding something that he does not want her to know. This happens all the time when he tries to hide something, his left ear turns to red, Ana is great at observing things that most people would have taken hours to see others perspective.

So she plans how she will persuade him, without worrying him that he made the wrong choice that day. The day they met the spy. The day they could have been killed. She waits drastically for him to settle from the fear he fills from this pass consecutive hours, banging his head to the door, folding clothes, and looking at windows. She thinks it would be a bad idea to invade him this time, not because of trying to help him come up with solutions, because of what really is happening out there. With no one to tell but ourselves.


End file.
